How to support your Dallas bookstores

Javier Garcia del Moral, owner of The Wild Detectives bookstore and bar, poses for a portrait outside his quiet shop, Wednesday, April 29, 2020 in the Bishop Arts District in Dallas.(Jeffrey McWhorter / Special Contributor)

If your shelves are full of stories, stay-at-home orders may have provided you an opportunity to finally catch up on reading. But that’s not to say those in the book business have seen any benefit. Rather, the opposite is true.

Across the country, bookstores have laid off staff, turned to crowdfunding to stay afloat and, in some cases, closed their doors permanently. In Dallas, all bookstores shuttered, at least temporarily — and some remain closed. We reached out to a handful to find out how readers can do business with them right now and, of course, we asked for their summer reading recommendations.

The Wild Detectives

For those with cabin fever, the Oak Cliff bookstore invites you to “book a trip” through its new online travel agency, a tongue-in-cheek resource offering escapes to more than 50 destinations worldwide — through the pages of a new read. Additionally, readers can shop the store’s shelves online.

Owner Javier García del Moral says the most effective way to help the bookstore is by joining its membership program, which, for an upfront fee, affords participants 10% off at Wild Detectives and the nearby restaurant Sketches of Spain. The store remains closed but expects to reopen in early June, he says, while the restaurant offers takeout and curbside options with plans to open the patio next week.

“It is a great way to help us and in return enjoy unlimited discounts on books, drinks, records, food, coffee, events, etc. for a long period of time,” García del Moral wrote in an email.

Deep Vellum Books

Deep Vellum Books is taking an entirely new approach to bookselling under current conditions. General manager Cristina Rodriguez invites readers to call or text the store’s hotline at 972-638-7741 for book recommendations as well as life advice and daily horoscopes.

“A big part of why we do what we do is to connect and support people in ways that Amazon and other corporate retail could never do,” Rodriguez explains.

Calling in and buying books and gift cards are the best ways to support the shop, according to Rodriguez. “Every purchase truly helps,” she adds.

“It intertwines delicate ruminations on isolation, selfhood and the different facets of lighthouses ... the book itself has really calmed me in these weird times. It’s the perfect book to get lost in.”

— Cristina Rodriguez, general manager, Deep Vellum Books

Interabang Books

Having reopened at limited capacity May 1, Interabang Books invites those venturing out of the house to stop by, while observing social distancing guidelines. For folks staying in, the shop offers curbside pickup as well as delivery for books ordered through the store’s website or by phone. Indecisive readers can also ask for suggestions on their next book by calling 214-484-4289 or emailing info@interabangbooks.com.

“Many people don’t realize that they can shop online and shop local at the same time,” Interabang manager and partner Kyle Hall wrote in an email. “Many locally based small businesses of every stripe have robust websites for selling, and at a time when online sales are surging, for obvious reasons, people need to be pointed towards local alternatives to the Big A.”

Interabang’s website offers far more titles than fit in the shop, as well as audiobook and e-book downloads from the store’s partners. Through midnight Saturday, the bookstore is also selling shirts.

“The novel depicts life on a Norwegian island inhabited by only one family — the Barrøys — who for centuries have made the island their home and the sea, their livelihood.” It follows Ingrid Barrøy “as she becomes responsible for her family’s survival.”

— Lori Feathers, buyer for adult books, Interabang Books

Half Price Books

Half Price Books has reopened most stores at limited capacity and is asking visitors to wear masks and practice social distancing. All locations offer curbside pickup. Readers can call or visit hpb.com to buy their books and find locations.

The bookstore is offering online exclusives and is also working on ways to keep families engaged this summer.

“We’re finalizing some fun, virtual changes to our Feed Your Brain summer reading program, and other online educational resources, so parents have more fun ways to keep their kids reading throughout the summer,” Kathy Doyle Thomas, the chain’s chief strategy officer, wrote in an email.